Not sure if this is just a driidry thing, or just occured because we were all sitting, or what, but earlier this evening, three of us were channeling druidry together and sitting around performing RP, and I noticed something strange about our energy. See, one person was a newbie, then there me, then someone who I would think has at least double my channeling skill, and at least equal. However, we all lost energy at pretty much the exact same rate. By using 'look' and observing whenever my own energy went down by one level, we were losibg energy at the same rate when compared to when we opened our channels, despite having such widely different channeling skill levels. Maybe this is a bug? Or maybe druidry doesn't get the energy lost reduction from increased channeling?

A scrawny alley cat stares after the dog with big green eyes.
Speaking to a scrawny alley cat, you ask, "Friend of yours?"
A scrawny alley cat hisses angrily.

I have some other alts and have noticed this as well. I also noticed that regardless of magic type that the drain is about the same and that 500 skill in channeling is slightly better than 0 skill. I think this might be working as intended that the channeling skill only provides a minimal benefit and is mostly used as a prerequisite for guild abilities. I would love to see the energy drain from channeling re-examined as there are many other ways to do MORE damage with less energy loss but I will admit that magic is a little more versatile.

A single channel will always drain one energy per second. This is the baseline cost that we balance channeling-related things around. Higher channeling skill can occasionally omit energy costs for second and third channels, however.

I'll revive this thread instead of starting a new one. I was wondering what the lore explanation was for why what I'll call "dry channeling" (channeling a magic without actually casting anything) exhausts a druid? With elemancy, nether, and thaumaturgy, they are obviously actively using their powers while a channel is open, but a druid doesn't actually do anything until they cast a spell.

A scrawny alley cat stares after the dog with big green eyes.
Speaking to a scrawny alley cat, you ask, "Friend of yours?"
A scrawny alley cat hisses angrily.

Fayne wrote:I'll revive this thread instead of starting a new one. I was wondering what the lore explanation was for why what I'll call "dry channeling" (channeling a magic without actually casting anything) exhausts a druid? With elemancy, nether, and thaumaturgy, they are obviously actively using their powers while a channel is open, but a druid doesn't actually do anything until they cast a spell.

No where near anything of an authority on this, but I would assume that while a Druid is channeling he or she is actively communing with the Gaia through shared (on his or her part) energy. When a spell is used, it's basically them taking advantage of the connection that is already open and draining their energy, to ask the Gaia a favor.

Life is like a box of chocolates. The caramel filled ones are the best.

As I think about it, that answer does seem more and more likely to be true. Even if one assumes that all gods, deities, and entities that transcend humanity is nothing more than make-believe, a druid is still communing with creatures and things that cannot comprehend human thought, or even think at all, and I suppose some exertion would have to be made in order to get your thoughts and intents through so that the intended action results.

A scrawny alley cat stares after the dog with big green eyes.
Speaking to a scrawny alley cat, you ask, "Friend of yours?"
A scrawny alley cat hisses angrily.

Elemancers and sorcerers can stand around channeling but doing nothing useful or to any effect with the channel, too. Channeling is just that - channeling one's will and energy. You have to supply the energy for a channel to be open, regardless of channel type. It's not just thinking or concentrating really hard - you have to put some energy into it before the channel actually opens. That basic, fundamental procedure is really the universal core concept of channeling for all types. Once that channel is open, it can then be applied in different ways, depending on whether it's elemancy, sorcery, druidry, thaumaturgy, etc. One could technically learn to channel their will and energy without being able to do anything else with it (elemancy, druidry, etc.). There's no mechanic for that because that would be silly.

Magic, skills, channeling techniques, abilities, arcane knowledge, supernatural powers, and similar are by no means necessarily restricted to those which are obtainable by player characters and their guilds.

There are sorcerous rituals Rook Parlour doesn't know.

There are elemantic patterns the University of Elemancy hasn't figured out.

There are druidic spells the Udemi (and that other guild with the really long name) are unaware of.

There are thaumaturgic applications the Monastic Order and Knights Templar have yet to discover.

"etc."

The world in which CLOK takes place is a big one full of all sorts of mysterious beings, powers, and forces. Player characters and their respective guilds/organizations can hardly be expected to know it all.